Learn about how to get your child Baptized at Saint Francis of Assisi! “Go Therefore And Make Disciples Of All Nations, Baptizing Them In The Name Of The Father And Of The Son And Of The Holy Spirit." - Matthew 28:19 BAPTISM / BAUTISMO Parents can arrange for the baptism of their child by calling the Parish Center at (610) 272-0402. Arrangements may also be made during pregnancy. Prior to scheduling a Baptism at Saint Francis, families must first contact the Parish Center to sign up for a Pre-Jordan Class. Baptisms are performed at Saint Francis of Assisi on the second and fourth Sundays of the month immediately following the 11:30 AM Mass. Los bautismos se pueden realizar en español. PRE - JORDAN Both parents and godparents are cordially invited to attend the baptismal instruction, which must be completed before the baptism and which may be done during pregnancy. Once a Pre-Jordan Class has been attended and the child's Godparents have provided a Letter of Eligibility, the Baptism can be scheduled with the Parish Center. Pre-Jordan Classes are typically on the third Monday of the month at 7:00 PM. Please contact the Parish Center if you need to sign up for this class. Pre-Jordan classes will be in the Parish Center. If you need to take the class in Spanish, let us know and we will schedule one. Si necesita tomar la clase en español, háganoslo saber y programaremos una. LETTER OF ELIGIBILITY FOR GODPARENTS A Letter of Eligibility to be a Godparent for Baptism is a letter from the Catholic Church where your desired Godparent is actively registered. Your desired Godparent must be at least 16 years of age and must have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. If married, the Godparent must be married in the Catholic Church or had their marriage blessed by the Catholic Church. Once they have their letter, please bring it to the Parish Center. We cannot schedule your child's Baptism until we have a Letter of Eligibility for the Godparents. BAUTISMO Los padres pueden hacer arreglos para el bautismo de su hijo llamando al Centro Parroquial al (610) 272-0402. También se pueden hacer arreglos durante el embarazo. Antes de programar un bautismo en Saint Francis, las familias primero deben comunicarse con el Centro Parroquial para inscribirse en una clase previa al Jordán. Los bautismos se realizan en San Francisco de Asís el segundo y cuarto domingo del mes inmediatamente después de la Misa de las 11:30 AM. Los bautismos se pueden realizar en español. PRE - JORDAN Tanto los padres como los padrinos están cordialmente invitados a asistir a la instrucción bautismal, la cual deberá realizarse antes del bautismo y podrá realizarse durante el embarazo. Una vez que se haya asistido a una clase previa a Jordan y los padrinos del niño hayan proporcionado una carta de elegibilidad, se puede programar el bautismo con el centro parroquial. Las clases previas a Jordan suelen ser el tercer lunes del mes a las 7:00 p.m. Comuníquese con el Centro Parroquial si necesita inscribirse en esta clase. Las clases Pre-Jordan serán en el Centro Parroquial. Las clases están disponibles en inglés y español. CARTA DE ELEGIBILIDAD PARA PADRINOS Una Carta de Elegibilidad para ser Padrino de Bautismo es una carta de la Iglesia Católica donde su padrino deseado está registrado activamente. Su padrino deseado debe tener al menos 16 años de edad y haber recibido los Sacramentos del Bautismo, la Eucaristía y la Confirmación. Si está casado, el padrino debe estar casado por la Iglesia Católica o su matrimonio debe ser bendecido por la Iglesia Católica. Una vez que tengan su carta, tráigala al Centro Parroquial. No podemos programar el bautismo de su hijo hasta que tengamos una Carta de Elegibilidad para los Padrinos.

Here you will find instructions and links for how to obtain Safe Environment clearances for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. SAFE ENVIRONMENT HOW TO OBTAIN YOUR CLEARANCES The following clearances must be obtained by employees : Federal Bureau of Investigation Fingerprint Clearance Pennsylvania State Police Clearance Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance The following clearances must be obtained by volunteers living in PA for less than 10 years: Federal Bureau of Investigation Fingerprint Clearance Pennsylvania State Police Clearance Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance The following clearances must be obtained by volunteers living in PA continuously for 10 years: Pennsylvania State Police Clearance Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance Disclosure Statement Application for Volunteers to be filed at the place of service REQUIRED TRAINING All clergy, as well as staff and volunteers of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who have regular contact with children (at least one time per week) must complete the following training requirements. Protecting God's Children (Safe Environment Part I) Protecting God's Children provides basic facts about child sexual abuse and adults’ roles in prevention. Attendance is required within 90 days of hire or before beginning service. To register click here . Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse (Safe Environment Part II) Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse provides an overview of Archdiocesan reporting procedures for suspected child abuse and Pennsylvania Child Welfare Laws. Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse, is available in English and Spanish. Click here to login to the Training Institute and begin the training. HOW TO OBTAIN REQUIRED BACKGROUND CHECKS PA State Police Criminal Record Check Can be obtained online at https://epatch.pa.gov/home with results available within a few minutes PA Department Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance Can be obtained online at https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS Federal Criminal Background Check Go to https://uenroll.identogo.com/ to schedule an appointment for the background check. The following are service codes needed to register for all current and/or prospective school employees/volunteers: - Pennsylvania Department of Education Educators/Staff (non-public schools): 1KG6TR - Pennsylvania Department of Education Volunteers: 1KG6ZJ If you don’t fall under any of the above categories you will need to contact the PDE Pennsylvania Department of Education to determine the appropriate code you should use at 717-214-9755 The following are service codes needed to register for all current and/or prospective parish and other staff/volunteers: -1KG738 for Child Care Services/Program Employee and/or Contractors 18 and over (this includes all parish employees) -1KG6ZJ for Volunteers If you don’t fall under any of the above categories you will need to contact (DHS) Department of Human Services to determine the appropriate code you should use at 717-783-6211 Once your Safe Environment Clearances are obtained, please provide them to our Safe Environment Coordinator, Miss Lauren Kibler. If you have any questions or any problems obtaining a clearance, please contact Miss Kibler in the Parish Office at 610-272-0402 or by email at admin@sfanorristown.com .

View the Christmas Schedule for St. Francis of Assisi here! Christmas Schedule Wednesday, December 24 4:00 PM - English 7:00 PM - English Thursday, December 25 - The Nativity of The Lord 7:00 AM - English 9:00 AM - Spanish 11:30 AM - English Wednesday, December 31 5:30 PM - English Thursday, January 1 - The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 8:30 AM - English 12:15 PM - English

News and updates on SFA's Adoration Chapel Restoration. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OPENING OF CENTENNIAL On Sunday, June 11, 2023, Saint Francis of Assisi celebrated our 100th Anniversary Mass at 11:00 AM. We were blessed to have many parishioners, both past and present, there to witness this great event. This Mass was celebrated by our current Pastor, Father Richard Smith, and was assisted by Deacon David Matour, as well as Msgr. Peter Doody. After Mass, we had a Eucharistic Procession around our property, which concluded at our future Adoration Chapel. CLOSING OF CENTENNIAL On Sunday, June 9, 2024, Saint Francis of Assisi Parish will conclude our year-long Centennial Celebrations with a Closing Mass, followed by a Centennial Gala. Our Closing Mass will be at 11:00 AM, celebrated by Bishop Christopher Cooke. Mass will conclude with a Eucharistic Procession around our property, which will end in our newly completed Adoration Chapel. After Mass, parishioners and guests are welcome to tour the new Adoration Chapel, which will be open to the public. There will be many visitors here, including some of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, as well as many priests from throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. We hope you all join us in this glorious celebration! Following Mass and the Procession, there will be a Gala at Presidential Caterers. Tickets for the Gala are on sale until June 5, 2024. Click here for more information about the Gala & to purchase tickets. 1/4

Is your child eligible to receive First Holy Communion this year? Visit our page for important dates and information! John 6:56 – "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him" HOLY EUCHARIST Frequently called "communion", the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. In the Church, the transformed bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ, and are not merely symbols. First Holy Communion is typically received in third grade. In order to receive First Holy Communion, a child must first have been Baptized in the Catholic Church or another valid Christian denomination recognized by the Church. They must also have received the Sacrament of First Reconciliation (Confession). According to the United States Conference for Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the guidelines for those eligible to receive Communion are as follows: " In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all." Non-Catholics are not permitted to receive the Eucharist.

2024 Lenten Series at St. Francis of Assisi LENTEN SERIES Thank you to all those who attended our Lenten Series this year! An extra special thank you to our Lenten Series speakers - Msgr. Savinski, Father Pio, and Father DeLacy!! We are so blessed to be able to have such wonderful priests come to our Parish! 2024 Lenten Series at St. Francis This year, we will be having a special Lenten Series with different Pastors and topics throughout the Lenten Season. We are very excited to finally be able to share this with you, and we hope that you all will join us for these! Each night will begin at 7:00 PM with the celebration of Vespers and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Learn More about the Lenten Series HERE

Local resources in Norristown and Montgomery County. HOTLINES & ASSISTANCE We all need a helping hand sometimes - whether it be extra prayers, a ride to the doctor, or something more. Below you'll find an extensive list of resources in the Norristown and Montgomery County Area providing a multitude of different assistance programs. Please note that Saint Francis of Assisi does NOT provide any gift cards, money, or help with paying bills. For a complete list of Food Banks in Montgomery County, click here . For a complete list of Homeless Shelters in Montgomery County, click here . For a complete list of Domestic Violence Resources in Montgomery County, click here . For Rental and Emergency Rent Assistance in Montgomery County, click here . For a list of additional emergency Resources in Montgomery County, click here . For Emergency Addiction Help in Pennsylvania, click here . For Emergency Mental Health Help in Pennsylvania, click here . The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. HOTLINES

Lent at St. Francis of Assisi LENT What Is Lent? Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms ; and we practice self-control through fasting . We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ. Learn more at usccb.org Pope Francis' 2024 Lenten Message "Dear brothers and sisters – When our God reveals himself, his message is always one of freedom: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex 20:2). These are the first words of the Decalogue given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Those who heard them were quite familiar with the exodus of which God spoke: the experience of their bondage still weighed heavily upon them. In the desert, they received the “Ten Words” as a thoroughfare to freedom. We call them “commandments”, in order to emphasize the strength of the love by which God shapes his people. The call to freedom is a demanding one. It is not answered straightaway; it has to mature as part of a journey." Continue... Read Pope Francis' Lenten Message Lenten Fasting and Abstinence Regulations 1. Everyone 14 years of age and over is bound to abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays of Lent. 2. Everyone 18 years of age and under 59 years of age is bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. (The obligation of fasting ceases with the celebration of one’s 59th birthday.) 3. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday only one full meatless meal is allowed. Two other smaller meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs, but together they should not equal one full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted on these two days, but liquids including milk and juice are allowed. When health or the ability to work is seriously affected, the law does not oblige. 2025 Lenten Confession Schedule - Every Friday in Lent from 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM - Every Saturday at 9:00 AM and from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Other times by appointment (call 610-272-0402) 2025 Lent & Easter Liturgies Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - Ash Wednesday / Miércoles de Ceniza 8:30 AM - Ash Wednesday Mass (Spanish) 12:15 PM - Ash Wednesday Mass (English) 7:00 PM - Ash Wednesday Mass (English) Thursday, April 17, 2025 - Holy Thursday / Jueves Santo 7:00 PM - Mass of the Lord's Supper (in Main Church) Adoration Until Midnight (in the Adoration Chapel) Friday, April 18, 2025 - Good Friday / Viernes Santo 9:00 AM - Morning Prayer (Adoration Chapel) 3:00 PM - Liturgy (Main Church) Saturday, April 19, 2025 - Holy Saturday / Sábado Santo 12:00 PM - Blessing of the Food (Main Church) 7:30 PM - Easter Vigil (Main Church) Sunday, April 20, 2025 - Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord / Domingo de Pascua de la Resurrección del Señor 7:00 AM - Mass in English 9:00 AM - Mass in Spanish 11:30 AM - Mass in English No evening Mass 2025 Stations of the Cross St. Francis of Assisi will have Stations of the Cross every Friday evening at 7 PM in the Church beginning on Friday, March 7, 2025 . Living Stations of the Cross will be on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM in the Church, performed by our School Students. Covering of Statues During Lent, you may notice that we cover the crucifix, statues, and icons in our church with purple cloth. The last two weeks in the season of Lent are called Passiontide, which begins on the Fifth Sunday of Lent. During this time, the focus shifts from Christ in the desert to Christ during His Passion. This once widespread custom of veiling statues fell into disuse but has in recent years been reaffirmed by the Holy See and by the Bishops of the United States. Statues are veiled for the Fifth Sunday of Lent and are unveiled before the Easter Vigil. Our Altar Cross will be veiled after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and unveiled after the Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion. The veiling of crosses and statues is a kind of “fasting” from sacred depictions which represent the Pascal glory of our salvation. Just as the Lenten fast concludes with the Pascal feast, so too, does our fasting from the cross culminate on Good Friday in our adoration of the holy wood on which the sacrifice of Calvary was offered for our sins. Likewise, a fasting from the glorious images of the mysteries of faith and the saints in glory culminates on Easter night with a renewed appreciation of the glorious victory won by Christ who rose from the tomb to win for us eternal life. The sale of church votive candles is paused while the statues are veiled and will not return until after the Easter Vigil. We thank the Ladies of St. Francis for donating the purple cloth and Kathy Koehler for making the drapes which veil the statues. Lenten Rice Bowls - Celebrating 50 Years Help Transform The World As A Family This Lent - Each Lent, Catholic families across the country unite to put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl, families learn about how our sisters and brothers across the globe overcome hardships like hunger and malnutrition, and how through Lenten alms, we have the power to make the world a better place for all. Pick up your family's rice bowl in the back of Church - you can drop them back off in Church or at the Parish Center. Learn More About Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowls

Welcome to Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Norristown, Pennsylvania! We hope you join us! ABOUT WELCOME HOME We the faithful of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, through the inspiration of our Patron St. Francis of Assisi, commit ourselves to proclaiming Jesus Christ to all. To accomplish this goal, we commit ourselves to: Welcome – That all people in Norristown know they have a home here at St. Francis; Worship – Through a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the celebration of all the sacraments, we as a community deepen our love for God; Serve – Inspired by the example of our patron we reach out to all those who are in need; Educate – By diving deeper into the mystery of our faith, whether that is in our School, ELC, PREP Program, RCIA or Adult Faith formation. Through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, may our parish continue to grow and be the beacon of hope that we have been called to be for our community. About St. Francis Church St. Francis of Assisi Parish is a welcoming community, built on faith and committed to making disciples. We are located in the heart of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. As a member of our community, we offer you prayerful and inspired liturgy, vibrant social ministries, opportunities for learning and growth, and a warm and welcoming faith community. Our patron, St. Francis of Assisi, once prayed, " Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..." We strive to better ourselves as the Lord's instruments every day and spread the message of St. Francis and of the Lord. We welcome and invite you to join us and hope that you too, become an instrument of the Lord's peace. What makes St. Francis Parish Special? Our School is the only Catholic School located in Norristown, and our Daycare (ELC) has a Keystone Quality Rating of STAR 4, the highest possible rating! Founded in 1923 We have a vibrant & growing Parochial School for students Pre-K through 8th Grade We have a growing number of Ministries and Groups to join We are a multicultural and multilingual parish, with Masses in both English and Spanish For a more detailed overview of our Parish History, click here Click here to learn about our Patron Saint, Saint Francis of Assisi!

View the 2024 Forty Hours Schedule at SFA here! FORTY HOURS DEVOTION Forty Hours at Saint Francis of Assisi - 2025 Schedule During Forty Hours, we will have Adoration in the Main Church rather than in the Adoration Chapel. This year, the theme is "God's Presence Among Us". Our Guest Homilist is Father Jeff Rott. Here is the full schedule of our Forty Hours: Sunday, October 5, 2025 - Readings: John 6:51-58 7:00 AM - Mass 9:00 AM - Mass 11:30 AM - Mass Adoration will begin immediately following the 11:30 AM Mass and will end prior to the start of the 7:00 PM Vespers 7:00 PM - Vespers & Benediction Monday, October 6, 2025 - Readings: John 15:1-7 8:30 AM - Mass Adoration to follow Mass 7:00 PM - Vespers & Benediction Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - Readings: Luke 24:30-35 8:30 AM - Mass Adoration to follow Mass 7:00 PM - Solemn Vespers & Benediction to close out 40 Hours

We want to hear from you!! Contact us to register at the Parish! CONTACT US SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH CENTER 601 Buttonwood Street Norristown, PA 19401 Phone: 610-272-0402 Email: admin@sfanorristown.com Sign up with Constant Contact here: sign up here ! SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL 601A Buttonwood Street Norristown, PA 19401 Phone: 610-272-0501 Fax: 610-272-8011 btigue@sfacatholic.org School Website: www.sfacatholic.org/ SAINT FRANCIS EARLY LEARNING CENTER 636 Hamilton Street Norristown, PA 19401 Phone: 610-757-1523 Fax: 484-231-8646 saintfrancisdirector@gmail.com Early Learning Center Website: www.saintfranciselc.org/

Learn about our Parish Councils here. PARISH COUNCILS PASTORAL COUNCIL The Parish Pastoral Council works to further the mission of the parish and functions as a consulting body to advise and assist the pastor in areas of pastoral concern. Pastoral Council Members: Reverend Richard J. Smith, Nancy DeKok, Deacon David Matour, Lillian O'Donnell, Bridget Tigue, Charles Hurd, David Greco, & Nicole Yorgey Contact: Rev. Richard J. Smith 610-272-0402 FINANCE COUNCIL The Finance Council assists and guides the pastor in achieving the fiscally and managerially responsible stewardship of the parish's material goods and financial resources. Finance Council Members: Reverend Richard J. Smith, Jim Busciacco, Jerry McLaughlin, Felicia Gordon, Patricia Bader and Mary Ann Serosky, Carl Needles, Bridget Tigue, & Virginia Bueno. Contact: Rev. Richard J. Smith 610-272-0402